


Stardust Leads the Way

by AVirtoMusae



Series: Infinite and Infinity [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: Mirror Universe
Genre: 5+1 Things, A bunch of these tags describe the various universes, Alternate Universes, First Kiss, Humor, M/M, Mirror Universe, Multiverse, No Vulcan Reform, Parallel Universes, Pre-Reform Vulcan, Some Genderbending, Space Husbands, Space Pirates, Transporter Malfunction, Various universes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-16 22:41:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5843728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AVirtoMusae/pseuds/AVirtoMusae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five universes Spock visited and the one that convinced him he belonged with James Kirk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stardust Leads the Way

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first real foray into this fandom, but I intend to return soon.

_i._

Spock blinked and then promptly decided that this was not his universe. At the very least, he anticipated that it was not. It was possible that some disaster had changed the biological sexes of the _Enterprise_ crew. Spock found it more likely that he had simply transported into the wrong universe. This was not out of the realm of possibilities — the Captain had been transported into a different universe once, too.

Spock instantly concluded this was not the universe to which Kirk had been transported. If it were, then Kirk had left out important information. Thinking about it, Spock would have to make sure that his Captain did not leave information such as this out of that report.

“Spock?” the Captain asked, her blue eyes wide in alarm. She looked him up and down with some emotion that Spock decided to class as “approval”. “You’re looking . . . different.”

“I presume you are the Captain Kirk of your universe?” Spock queried, aware that this was to be the most expedient way to clarify his point of origin. 

Captain Kirk grinned, her eyes lighting up in the same way Spock’s own Captain’s did when he smiled. Spock found it disconcerting to see that same expression on someone else. “Jami Tiberianne Kirk.”

Spock raised his eyebrow at the captain’s name. Jami was an appropriate feminine version of James. Tiberianne was not a form of Tiberius. Spock, if asked, would concede that Tiberianne was preferable in sound to Tiberia. Spock, were he prone to making such sentiments, would say that it fit the Captain better also.

Spock turned an eye to the people standing next to the Captain — women who bore resemblance to McCoy, Scotty, and Hendorff, and a man who bore resemblance to Chapel. “Spock, this Bones —” A look from the woman in question made Kirk stop in her tracks and correct herself, Leona McCoy. This is Monica Scott; we call her Scotch. And Gina Hendorff, more commonly known as ‘Cupcake.’” This nickname appeared about as liked by the person in question as by Spock’s universe’s counterpart. “And this fine murse is Christian.”

“I like the term ‘nurse’ or ‘doctor-in-training’ better, Kirk,” Chapel protested, crossing his arms. 

Kirk rolled her eyes. “Of course you do. You guys don’t really like my nicknames, do you?”

Scott put her hands on her hips, “Oi!”

“Sorry, Scotch, but with the rest of us, the kid’s barking up the wrong tree,” McCoy retorted, using the same illogical phrases to which her counterpart was also prone.

Kirk crossed her arms and pouted. “Spock likes her name as Spock better than T’Spock.”

Spock found the prospect of ever being called T’Spock distasteful, not least because the prefix “T’” was only ever used on female names. He found himself unsurprised that his counterpart evidently felt the same way.

“Mimi, your wife would literally let you call her anything you like,” McCoy informed Kirk. Spock’s eyes bulged out before he could stop them. He was unsure of what was more surprising to him: Kirk being called Mimi or the fact alternate universe Spock and Kirk were married. Spock eventually decided that the latter was, indeed, the more disturbing. After all, what logical reason was there for a person to engage in a relationship with their direct superior? And, a morbid part of Spock’s brain wondered what would happen if such an arrangement were to end for any reason.

“Spock, you and your Kirk married then?” McCoy hollered. 

Spock opened his mouth and shut it again, blinking rapidly as a result of his surprise. “I see no logical reason why either of us would be interested in such, Doctor.”

Jami Kirk and the few members of her crew within earshot stared at Spock incredulously. Despite the fact he had been in this alternate universe for 31.259 minutes already, it was only now that Spock felt out of place. 

Spock could not make this make sense.

❇ ❈ ❇ ❈ ❇

Spock would not admit to it, but he was relieved when conditions cleared up such that transport back to his own _Enterprise_ were once again possible. When he arrived on the transporter, his own Captain ran over to him and hovered awkwardly, arms going up for a second before falling back to his sides lamely.

“Spock, good to see you,” Kirk exclaimed, still standing just a fraction too close for Spock’s comfort. Spock was torn between wanting to run and wanting to be closer. Spock disliked this paradox. It was inherently illogical.  
Spock tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement. “I will have the report to you by 1400 hours.” With that, Spock stepped away from the Captain toward the door. Spock decided that he imagined it when he observed a sadness in Kirk’s smile that had not been present in the previous one.

_ii._

Spock should have been more on his guard the second time it happened. Even Spock found it difficult and verging on impossible to predict when he would end up in an alternate universe. It was as easy to tell that this universe was not his own as it was to tell that the last one was not his own universe. The viscera and blood plastered to the wall aided his assumption. 

Spock wondered exactly what had happened here. Spock also realized that he was not getting an answer any time in the foreseeable future. That was primarily due to the fact that he did not actually see any living, sentient beings in the area. He wondered if the lack of people nearby was directly caused by the entrails on the wall. Spock suppressed the thought. Speculation was illogical.

Spock would refuse to admit that his steps out of the transporter room were at all hesitant. However, hesitant or no, he still made them, and therefore, Spock was in the hallway before he heard the screaming. Spock’s hand instantly went to his phaser as he ran to find the source of the screaming. 

It was a short jog for him, particularly since despite the years he had spent on a starship and on Earth, he was still relatively accustomed to Vulcan’s greater gravity and thinner atmosphere. He was at the source of the screams within minutes.

Two major things shocked him. In order of least shocking to most shocking, they were: {1} there was a man screaming in some sort of booth thing (even Spock could not be more specific here), and that {2} he had found his own counterpart. 

The latter was more shocking based on the activities in which he was then engaged. Otherwise Spock would have enlisted his own help in getting back to his own universe. As it were, Spock was unsure if he would be able to look at his counterpart now. Spock did not feel embarrassment. Of course he did not.

However, he was extremely uncomfortable with the fact he had literally just walked in on his counterpart and Kirk’s counterpart engaged in activities of a sexual nature. By human terminology, it did not appear to be “vanilla sex” either. In fact, his counterpart appeared to be tied up with some sort of handcuff (Spock was not interested in investigating this fact). Kirk also appeared to be using some sort of device that had his counterpart writhing and moaning. Spock understood that this was not the same type of agony that was being experienced by the man in the booth. Spock was shocked enough that he scarcely noticed the fact his counterpart had a goatee. 

A particularly loud moan from his counterpart as the device in Jim’s hand approached certain parts brought the hint of an olive blush to Spock’s cheeks. It also did other things to his anatomy that he had to meditate away as soon as possible.

Spock decided it was time for him to leave.

❇ ❈ ❇ ❈ ❇

After about a week stranded on the I.S.S. _Enterprise_ , Spock had managed on his own (and certainly not with goatee-Spock’s help) to get the transporter to beam him back into his own universe. Spock had never been so gratified to be back on his own ship. The genderbent universe had been strange, but it had been tolerable. This past universe had not been tolerable.

No one was in the transporter room when Spock arrived. However, it was only minutes after the mechanical voice of the ship announced unauthorized transport use that the Captain, along with a detail of security officers in red shirts, arrived. Upon seeing Spock, a tension seemed to drain from Kirk. “Oh, thank God, you’re alright!”

Kirk then took a step forward and threw his arms around Spock. Spock stiffened and studiously ignored the fact that he was actually enjoying the contact a little. A little, in typical Spock-fashion, was a lot of an understatement. Spock had just begun leaning into Kirk’s touch when he managed, “I must insist you cease your contact with my person.”

Kirk stepped back immediately. Had Spock been prone to similes, he might have said it was as if Kirk had been struck.

Spock certainly felt no guilt when he strode out of the transporter room, leaving Kirk staring after him. “Wait, Spock!” Kirk exclaimed, trotting after Spock. “Is everything alright?”

Spock was aware that Kirk’s concern was genuine. Spock was still highly uncomfortable with what he had seen in the other universe. Spock was illogically sure that if he looked at Kirk, he would see Kirk’s counterpart engaged in sexual activities with his own counterpart again. Spock made sure he did not look at Kirk and willed his pants not to start feeling tight. 

For the most part, he succeeded.

_iii._

The next time it happened, it took longer to realize. For one, the area he was beamed to looked nothing like the _Enterprise_. Spock, at first, assumed that he was simply beamed to the wrong ship. That was not actually an uncommon occurrence, truth be told — both Spock and Kirk got kidnapped a frankly alarming number of times each month.

The transporter room was white, this one with no remains plastered to it. Spock double-checked this fact. The room was smaller than the one to which he was used. Illogically, Spock thought it felt almost cramped. He was very used to his own ship.

Spock was aware that he had very little time before his presence would be noticed and walked over to the controls for the transporter. He intended to hack into the ship's logs in order to learn more about them. He knew he would not have thought of this had he not known Kirk.

However, no sooner had he hacked in and seen, to his surprise, that no logs or anything actually existed than when there was a siren going off. Spock winced, but there was nothing he could do to stop the alarm now. As he knew it would be a futile move, he did not hide.

The figure that found him was not the figure he would have expected. Indeed, while he had seen another version of himself, he had not expected this universe's Spock to be the one to find him. Spock also had never expected to see an alternate universe's version of himself point a phaser at him. 

The universe's Spock lowered his phaser and made a _ta’al_ with his right hand. “Mr. Spock.”

Spock copied the gesture. “Mr. Spock. I appear to be in the wrong universe.”

“So it appears. In the past, we have had this phenomenon occur as a result of an ion storm. Is this the case for you?” Other Spock raised an eyebrow. 

Spock could not answer, but he returned the eyebrow-raise. “I was to be beamed up from the planet, but I have yet to ascertain the cause of interference. Where is your James Kirk?”

“You assume he is mine? I will thusly assume the case is the same in your own universe,” Other Spock replied, ignoring the actually relevant part of the inquiry for the moment. 

Spock was silent.

As Other Spock apparently possessed a degree of self awareness, he made a slight growling noise that was more emotional than with what Spock was comfortable. “That is a no. You should rethink that. James Kirk is the most admirable man, and I hypothesize that applies to all James Kirkses.”

“You are with him?” Spock asked even though he knew the answer. It was strange to him that all the alternate versions of them were together when they themselves were not.

Other Spock quirked an eyebrow. “Clearly.” There was something distinctly unimpressed about the way Other Spock said that. 

“And where is Kirk?” Spock queried. It was strange for Kirk not to investigate strange occurances for himself — if their Kirks were anything alike (Spock would have wondered when he started thinking of Kirk as his if it did not feel so second nature that he did not even notice).

“He is on the Orion ship behind us,” Other Spock stated. Spock’s face must have shown what his next query would have been because his counterpart continued, “raiding.”

Spock stared at his counterpart incredulously even though his stare on most people would have looked entirely neutral. “You are pirates?”

“You are not?” Other Spock appeared just as surprised as Spock did. “This is . . . fascinating. You must go as my captain would not be thrilled to deal with someone such as . . . yourself.” His counterpart did appear slightly regretful of this, but this could have been Spock’s imagination (though he would insist such a thing were impossible because Vulcans did not have imaginations).

❇ ❈ ❇ ❈ ❇

Kirk was already waiting for Spock in the transporter room when he arrived. He looked like he was about to rush forward, but McCoy put his arm out in front of Kirk, preventing him from getting there. Spock informed himself that he was not illogically feeling disappointment at this fact.

“You alright, Spock?” Kirk asked, biting his lip nervously. He was pale as though something had made him nervous. Spock illogically felt guilt on account of this fact.

“‘All right’ has variable definitions. To which are you referring?” Spock inquired. Kirk grinned at him, and it made Spock feel warm as a result. Spock, though it was un-Vulcan of him, found he rather liked his captain's smile.

McCoy groaned and rolled his eyes. “He's fine.” Spock tilted his head to the side in acknowledgement. More quietly to Kirk but still easily heard by Spock's Vulcan ears, McCoy added, “I don't get why you keep doing this to yourself, kid.”

Kirk did not reply but did give McCoy a rather sharp look. He walked toward Spock almost hesitantly and then clapped the commander on the shoulder. “Welcome back, Spock.”

“Indeed, Captain,” Spock agreed.

Kirk crossed his arms. “One of these days I'll get you to call me Jim.”

“As you say, Captain.” 

Jim.

_iv._

By the fourth time it happened, Spock was not surprised by the unfamiliar surroundings and unfamiliar air. This time, what he was surprised by was the make of the ship. It was Vulcan. Of this, Spock had absolutely no doubts. This was strange for two reasons: (1) Vulcan ships were exceedingly rare in his home universe, and (2) it was a design unlike any from his home universe.

There was a growl to his left, and the next thing he knew, there was a hand at his throat. 

Had Spock been human, he might have shrieked with surprise. However, Spock was very Vulcan sometimes with his attitude and preternatural calm. “ _Krikhdu vi._ ” The snapped Vulcan question translated approximately to “Who the fuck are you?” Spock was not sure he had ever heard an invective used by a Vulcan before.

The most concerning part was the voice in which it was said because the voice was his own. Evaluating his options, Spock answered, “ _Nash-veh vi s’stukhtra wuh’ashiv._ ” _I am you from another universe._ To his dismay, his words came out choked. He would presume that he was turning rather green from the pressure against his windpipe.

“ _Gla-tor nash-veh_ ,” Non-Reform Spock agreed, dipping his head in understanding. He stepped back, and Spock found himself gasping for air. Obviously he did not feel guilty for having choked Kirk soon after they had met now that he knew what it was like.

Wheezing still, Spock queried, “ _Fai-tor du Eingelsu ha._ ” 

His counterpart raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. “Yes, I speak English.” There was something disdainful there that made Spock stiffen. “But why would a Vulcan wish to speak the language of . . . humans. Weaklings.”

“I am uncertain as to your meaning. If you could clarify?” Spock requested. 

His counterpart flared his nostrils. “We conquered them centuries ago when they became warp-capable.”

Spock’s eyebrows flew up before he had enough control to prevent it. “And you approve of this?”

“Of course. _Kaiidth_. I have my mother and my lover as a result of this.” Spock’s counterpart tilted his head to the side. “You have one of these. The other?”

Spock considered this a moment. “I am not in a romantic relationship with Jim at this juncture.” Spock decided he must have guessed correctly with whom this Spock was romantically engaged as his counterpart full-on scowled. It was a strange sight for Spock to see on someone who looked so similar to himself. 

“Why not?” Spock’s counterpart inquired, folding his arms across his chest. This was also a strange expression in Spock’s opinion. 

Spock tilted his head to the side. “It would be in bad form to engage in a relationship with one’s captain.” Spock waited for a reaction from his counterpart.

He got one. His counterpart burst out laughing. “I’m the captain here. He’s mine. What the fuck’s your problem, man?”

Spock blinked in suppressed alarm at his counterpart’s words. Spock still comprehended the meaning, and it took him aback. It had seemed obvious — what would happen if something went wrong or if the feeling were not requited? Or if Starfleet Command refused? Spock ignored the fact it sounded like he was grasping for excuses. “Everything.”

His counterpart laughed again. “Go back, and stop being a fucking idiot. Now bye.”

Spock nodded even though he had no intent of following through. “First we must adjust the transporter.”

❇ ❈ ❇ ❈ ❇

“I’m beginning to think this is happening to you more than me,” Jim commented when Spock returned. To Spock’s definitely-not-surprise, Jim had been waiting in the transporter room for what had apparently been the entire time he was gone. With the exception of the first time he had been to an alternate universe, this had definitely been the shortest trip. Spock speculated that this had to do with the fact the other ship had been Vulcan in make.

Spock tilted his head to the side to consider. “You would undoubtedly require frequent trips to medbay if you were to visit other universes any more frequently.”

Jim gaped at Spock incredulously. “That better have been a joke!”

“Vulcans do not joke, Jim,” Spock reminded his captain. There was a glint in his eye that suggested that yes, he was exercising his sense of humor (not that this was an actual sense).

Jim burst out laughing.

_v._

Spock was instantly alerted to something being very different about the ship he was now on. The first clue was right there in the transporter room: the text in both Vulcan and Standard English. That was something Spock never would have expected to see. Even his father’s private ship only had text in Vulkhansu, and his ship was the Vulcan diplomatic vessel to Earth.

“Spock!” a voice shouted over the intercom. “We found more humans!” The voice was Jim’s. However, the words he spoke confused Spock. Jim was speaking of humans as if they were rare. 

“I am not your Spock,” Spock protested, making sure that Jim would be able to hear it. “I originate from an alternate universe.”

He could hear Jim sigh over the comm. “I’ll be there in a min’. Kirk out.”

There was something strange here. Spock found it odd that he would think this universe strange. All of the universes to which he had been were so very different from his own. What was so different about this one in particular?

Jim was mildly late. He arrived in ten minutes. Spock knew enough of humans to realize Jim was true to his meaning if not his actual words. “How did you get here?!” Jim demanded after determining that this was definitely not his Spock. “Where the fuck’d you get the uniform?”

This confused Spock. “I am an officer of Starfleet. First Officer to your counterpart on the U.S.S. _Enterprise_.” He did not see why this would seem such a novel concept to this Jim, but Jim was staring at him.

“You didn’t get dishonorably discharged?!”Jim demanded. Spock could not imagine what he had done in this reality to get dishonorably discharged.

Spock furrowed his brow. “Why would I have gotten dishonorably discharged?”

“You’re held responsible for letting Earth get destroyed,” Jim explained as if that should have been obvious. There was a haunted look to Jim’s face that Spock had only seen on himself and the other Vulcan survivors. Then realization seemed to occur to Jim. “Your Earth wasn’t destroyed?!”

“Did Doctor McCoy not sneak you aboard the _Enterprise_ prior to its departure?” Spock queried.

“No . . . and your Earth’s still there? My being there saved it?” Jim’s eyes were wide. Spock reckoned that Jim felt a little lost. It was a look he had never truly seen on his own Jim.

“Yes,” Spock affirmed. It had not occurred to Spock before, but Jim really was the only reason there was still an Earth.

Jim exhaled heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “. . . Right . . .” He bit his lip and looked at Spock. “Look, we need to get you back to your universe before anyone sees you. I am not losing Spock now.” There was something hard in his face here too, and Spock may have been mistaken, but there was more than a small protective note in Jim’s voice. It made Spock “warm” to hear it.

Spock did not understand what this ship was and how his counterpart would be on this ship if this was Starfleet (he was unsure but Jim’s uniform seemed to be Starfleet) and Other Spock was not Starfleet. Even so, Spock decided to acquiesce to Jim’s request and nodded his head. The sooner he was returned to his own universe, the better.

❇ ❈ ❇ ❈ ❇

Spock knew Jim would be waiting for him when he returned. That was the way it was. Once again, Jim looked like he was debating hugging Spock. Spock felt the corners of his lips twitching up, and that made Jim grin at him.

“Look, I know you’re touchy about touching, but can I give you a hug?” It was an odd request, and one Spock never would have expected to hear from his Jim. Jim did not wait for Spock’s acquiescence before wrapping his arms around his first officer.

Spock realized he rather liked the feel of Jim’s arms around him. He was not going to voice this opinion. When Jim stepped back and let his arms drop to his sides, Spock stepped forward and whispered in Jim’s ear, “Thank you.”

Spock did not explain what the gratitude was for, and Jim did not ask.

_vi._

The stares were the first clue he was in a different universe this time when he was beamed back from the last away mission.

The stares were the first clue that he had not been beamed back to his own universe. People in his own universe would not have stared at him in shock as if they could hardly believe that he was real. Spock would deny it, but he felt almost like squirming. That was odd.

“Spock?” The disbelief and hope in Nyota’s voice reconfirmed that feeling of scrutiny. “Is that really you?” She grabbed his arm and patted down his torso. “And you don’t have chocolate.”  
“This is not my universe,” Spock explained. He disliked the way Nyota’s face fell, but he saw no other way. He paused for a second. “Why does my counterpart have chocolate so often? Can I see him?”

Nyota nodded. “Aye, Captain, follow me.” She bit her lip and led Spock to the captain’s quarters and pinned in the first officer’s override. “He’s captain now. _Technically_. I do the work now.” Spock’s surprise must have shown because Nyota laughed bitterly. 

“Why?” Spock asked just as Nyota pushed the door open. 

Inside, there was his counterpart, hair and clothes in disarray, a chocolate bar having fallen to the ground from his outstretched arm. Spock was shocked. His counterpart seemed to have passed out from chocolate-induced intoxication. 

“Why?”

“He’s been like this for a month. Jim died on a mission a month ago.”

Spock could remember a mission a month ago where there had been a close call. This was what would happen if he was not romantically engaged with his captain and the captain died?

It suddenly occurred to Spock: he had been a fool. Jim’s death would still affect him if they were not engaged in a romantic relationship. His objections had been stupid.

“Help me get back.”

He did not want to be in this universe any longer, did not want to think any longer on what he would be without Jim any longer.

❇ ❈ ❇ ❈ ❇

Spock was undeniably glad to see Jim waiting for him in the transporter room when he returned. His breath almost caught in his relief — something extremely un-Vulcan. “Jim,” he whispered reverently. He was glad he was not in that other universe anymore. He knew that he would follow his counterpart’s example if he were to lose Jim.

“You alright, Spock?” Jim questioned.

Then Spock leaned in and kissed him. He did not want to be his counterpart. He did not wish to wait for Jim’s death. He did not want to miss out on a relationship with Jim because he was afraid. Kissing Jim felt amazing, and it felt right. It felt like he should have started doing it long ago.

Jim had made a muffled sound of surprise when Spock’s lips had first descended on his own. He had stilled too, and Spock had felt almost embarrassed for a second. Then, Jim had begun kissing him back. 

“Oh my God, I need brain bleach,” a new voice said from the doorway, causing Jim and Spock to jump and cease kissing. “Jim, go get a room with your boyfriend and don’t give the rest of us poor souls nightmares.”

Jim burst out laughing. “Come on, _boyfriend_.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed. The title is from _Stardust_ by Amaranthe. 
> 
> Please review, kudo, etc. I may eventually do some stories set in the various universes Spock visited -- especially if you all give me ideas for them. I have tentative ideas for universes two and five. I am also open to collaborations.
>
>> A Virto Musae  
> By the Virtue of the Muse


End file.
